Madison County commissioners and the county'''s Industrial Development Board (IDBA) met May 2 to review candidates for a proposed economic development position and to discuss how that position would be employed and paid. The boards agreed to invite two finalists back for additional interviews, while staff were asked to further explore benefits and payroll options before a hiring decision.

The discussion matters because the economic developer role is intended to market the county to prospective businesses, coordinate with regional partners and state agencies and support implementation of the county'''s comprehensive plan. Board members repeatedly cited Georgia Department of Transportation corridor projects and the county'''s land-use plan as reasons to move forward with a staffed economic-development function.

Members and staff said the candidates showed relevant education and experience, including master'''s-level credentials and backgrounds in workforce development and local-government work. But the boards paused on making an offer because of uncertainty over employment structure and benefits. Susan (county staff) told the group a newly enacted statute and questions about employer identification and benefit eligibility mean the boards must decide whether to place the hire under the IDBA, as a county employee, or as a contracted position.

Board members and IDBA representatives said there are trade-offs to each option. Keeping the position under the IDBA would preserve the authority'''s independence but would complicate benefit procurement for a single employee; several speakers noted small-group or individual insurance costs are typically much higher than rates available under a county group plan. Making the economic developer a county employee would likely give the hire access to the county'''s insurance plan and standard payroll services, but speakers flagged questions about accounting, reporting and personnel rules that would need to be clarified with the county auditor and legal counsel.

Commissioners and IDBA members also discussed alternative approaches: a contract arrangement, a stipend to help a hire secure private coverage, or continuing to research what a local insurance broker could offer for a one- or two-person staff. Susan said she had contacted an insurance broker familiar with small local governments to identify feasible benefit packages and would continue vetting options.

Board members emphasized expectations for the new hire'''s early work. Ben (IDBA representative) said he expects the economic developer to spend the first 60 to 90 days learning county governance, accounting and infrastructure, and then produce a short-term implementation plan and recommended industry targets. Several commissioners said they viewed the role as a one- to three-year career-building position for an early- to mid-career candidate and stressed the importance of regular updates to the Board of Commissioners on projects that could require rezoning or other formal action.

Members also discussed logistics the boards will ask finalists about during a second interview round: specific examples of how candidates would approach county priorities, how they would coordinate with workforce partners (Broad River Academy, Athens Technical College and the university were mentioned as local partners), and how they would funnel inquiries from developers so the county has a single point of contact.

No hiring motion or vote was taken at the meeting. The IDBA and commissioners requested both leading candidates return for additional interviews and invited commissioners to join those sessions. Staff were directed to continue researching benefit options, payroll structure and the statutory constraints the county and IDBA face, and to report back before a final hiring decision.

Looking ahead, board members said the candidate selection timeline should remain reasonably prompt to avoid losing qualified applicants to other counties, while acknowledging the hiring process for government roles may take weeks for background checks and benefit planning.

The boards also reviewed a packet that included the job description and a two-year action plan developed by a committee; the packet included a summary of Georgia Department of Transportation projects for several county highways. Commissioners said the DOT projects and the county'''s land-use plan should guide the new hire'''s priorities.

The discussion closed with agreement to continue the recruitment process and provide participating commissioners a chance to meet finalists; staff will follow up on insurance and employment-structure options before a final recommendation is made.